Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The commoner. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-1923 | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1906)
i. ffl i-vs -r Tfcfl . . .".'t- :.--.-'.. . Vm . I 'MARCH 30, 100 tw - The Commoner: 7 (CURBeNT (TOPICS MHBM)a-V- "(r ' . VQ L!t7 V WJJT kl E-l ur M pzazgz ifcfc zz&zittFg MyyddX i iTTirr i r - m zz,lWXzwj : I fa it J'-' it Kt -V - -t - tee. .-i:" i'. . TUDGE O'SULLIVAN, of New York, in making J answer to the presentments submitted to him by the grand jurors, practically took Issue rwith Mr. Jerom6. The Assopiated Press, under date of New York, March 23, says: "If the grand jury, which is investigating some of the condi tions developed by the recent legislative investi gation, reaches the conclusion, that contributions of insurance company funds to political campaign committees were made with intent to derive or defraud the true owner of his property it must And that larceny was committed 'This opinion was expressed today by Justice O'SulJlvan in the court of general sessions in answer to pre sentments submitted to him by the grand jurors Judge O'Sulllvan added that it is not within the province of the court to say whether or not there . was intent. That is a question which the jurors must determine for themselves from all the-facts and circumstances in the case. He charged the jury to make a thorough investigation into all the facts and to place the responsibility for such crimes if thoy find that crimes were committed." WHEN JUDGE O'SULLIVAN'S 'opinion was. delivered Mr. Jerome was in the court room, and when the judge concluded, the district attorney asked the grand jury to remain, as he desired to address them upon the subject. The Associated Press r.eport says: "Mr. Jerome de clared that Judge O'Sulllvan had misconceived -the subject which he had considered, and that if the court held to its opinion it would be the .. duty of the grand jury to return indictments against George W. Perkins, former "vice. president . of the New Yprk- Life Insurance company, for "larceny and George B. Cortelyou and Cornelius 1$. Blips, treasurer of, the re publican, national committee as receivers of .stolen goods, Mr. Jerome Informed Judge O'Sul livah that if he would, sit as. a, .magistrate he would "submit affidavits to the acts committed. ;by George1 W. Perkins and would ask for a warrant being issued, a writ of liabeas corpus would follow, and that the case would be taken to the highest courts, where the district attorney would retain 'Alton B. Parker as special counsel. Judge O'Sul llvan declined to grant the. warrant, giving as his reason that the question at issue should be . passed upon by the grand jury. Alter Judge O'Sulllvan had delivered his remarks td the grand jury there was some question as to. their exact import, one portion of the judge's remarks deal . ing -with the question of intent in such a manner as to make "it appear that it was the duty of the grand jury to consider the matter of iiltent as to whether larceny had been committed. Judge ,. ,-. O'Sullivan's statement that there was larceny 'was made in answer to the hypothetical question ; put to him 'in which certain suppositions were ac cepted as facts. The suppositions dealt With the making of contributions by authority, of. insur ance officials." . , PRIOR -TO THE" city elections in the fall of 1905 representatives of both parties in Colum-. bus, Ind., signed' an agreements promising that neither money, liquor nor anything of value would ' be used by either side for th epurposerof influenc ing the vote of any elector. It was further agreed that each committee would, prior to election day, submit a full report to the other of the money collected and the source of the same, and that after this report had been made no further con tributions would be received by either commit tee.. Also that within ten days after the election each committee would make a report showing the disbursement It was further agreed, that . there would be no assessment of candidates far . . city. bfficeSj except such assessments as; would be agreed upon by the final agreement; of both parties. . , , WALTER C. GALBRAITH, editor pf the;, Co ' lumbus (Ind.) Democrat, writing, to The. Commoner says: -"This agreement was: carried out to jthe letter jind it redounded to tlio. interest - of' the democratic party, just as the same thing -would all over this country. Our county com mittee has adopted the same plan for the campaign -this year, but the republicans will refuse, to sign it and will return to. the old methods vof cprrup .tiori. The honest' vote of this nation.; Is ; with . democracy. Let us all do what we can 1$, djs:fr. place corruption with honest and moral principles, and thus elevate the moral standing of our coun try as.wejl as to restore democratic principles," 1 . H. McINTOSH, general counsel for the New ,v York Life. Insurance company, . announced immediately following Andrew Hamilton's now .famous speech that the New York Life people would pay no attention tP Hamilton', but since Hamilton delivered that speech overy one who ever hadany conneptlen with the New York Life is paying some attention to the nptoripus lobby ist; and every few days Mr. Hamilton proceeds to make some new. accusations. , He charges now that in 1896 he paid to C. N. Bliss, treasurer of the republican national committed .70,000, tak ing Mr, Bliss's receipt for the, same. He also charges that Elihu Root, while secretary of slate of . the United States, used his influence with Governor Higgins to prevent Injury, of Thomas F. Ryan's interest in the Equitable. Life Assur ance society. Secretary Root denies these charges, bluntly referring to. them "as lies. Mr. Bliss also denies receiving the money. from Ham ilton, but Hamilton produced what he says is a receipt bearing Bliss's name. FEDERAL JUDGE J, OTIS HUMPHREY at Chicago passed on the immunity plea raised . in behalf of the packers in the beef trust case. Judge Humphrey dismissed all the Indictments against the packers and their employes, but said the indictments found against the corppratipns comprising the beef, .-trust would stand. Judge Humphrey concluded 'Jifs eplnfon in these werds: "Undqr the law in this case the immunity pleas filed by the defendants will be sustained as te the individuals, and denied as te the corpora tions,' , the artificial persons, and the jury will find,. 'in faypr of the. 'government as far as the corporations are concerned, and against the gov ernment as far as the Individuals are concerned." IN HIS OPINION Judge Humphrey declared that the primary purpose ef the law creating the commerce and laber department was te enable congress to provide through the channel or offi cials charged with the execution of laws remedial legislation. Judge Humphrey said that this law requires that ' Information be given, and because the'men interrogated could not remains silent they were entitled to immunity from prosecution. As sociated Press reports say that the packing house people who were in the court room at the time expressed their great joy because' of their de liverance, and that District Attorney Morrison -"sat with bowed head for a short time after Judge Humphrey had concluded." The district attor ney asked that the case against the corporations be set for trial within two weeks. The attorneys for the packers said that they could not be ready before next fall. Judge Humphrey told the law yers to agree among themselves on a date for trial. The corporations which, under Judge Humphrey's decision, will stand trial are the Armour Packing Co.-, Armour & Co., Swift & Co., and the Fairbanks Canning Co. The individuals who, by Judge Humphrey's decision are released, are J. Ogden Armour, Edward Morris, Charles W. Armour, Ira N. Morris, Louis F. Swift, Edward F, Swift, CharleB N. Swift, Edward Cudahy, Arthur Meeker, T. J. Connors, P. A, Valentine, A. H. Veeder, Arthur F. Evans, L. A. Carton, Robert C. McManus and D. E. Hartwell. AS A RESULT of Judge Parker's suggestion that the democratic nominee for 1908 cpme from the south, Charles A. Edwards, secretary of the democratic congressional campaign commit tee, says that his state" will furnish the -leaden' in the person of Senator Culberson. , Washington dispatches say that others believe that Senator Bailey should be the candidate, Responding to. this, Secretary Edwards says that Texas can furnish the right kipd of a man, and that while he prefers Senator Culberson first, Senator Bailey will be acceptable, One Wasjiingod. dispatch says "there is every indication that, careful, plaits are being made to giye an entirely new turn to the contest in the next national convention of the party,." This same dispatch says that Judge Parkeivand eastern democrats yfho, brought about Jiis nomination are as determined as ever to exer cise control in the democratic convention of 1908; It Is said that thoy would not object to a rononil nation of Parker himself, but that If that is im practicable they would turn to Mayor McClelhur of New York, and if thoy fail In that they ."stand ready to join the movement from the solid, south in accomplishing tho defeat of tho radicals in Iholr party." f&IES ,H. 'EQKBLS, of Chicago, who was coin p. h lrollcr-of tho currency under the last Clevo "J&nd administration, gives' an interview in con 'nccti(m. with tho Parker program, and says that he' is "perfectly willing to consider a southern man for the presidency." Mr. Eckels adds: "The desirable qualities in such a candidate would be a belief in, those thlhgs which are absolutely democratic and are wholly removed from popu lism. The democratic -party dan win 'it it is willing to be, democratic; it can not win If it is not democratic. Tho south, being in the largest measure all-thero is left of organized democracy, has a great opportunity to name tho ' next leader." ANDREW HAMILTON, tho insurance lobbyist, has created all sorts of trouble. He has caused it to leak out that asldo from the $50,000 contribution made to the republican campaign in 1896 by the New York Life, that company made an additional contribution during that campiign amounting to $75,000, which made the contribu tions of that one- company $125,000 during one campaign. Cornelius N. BHbs, treasurer of the republican committee, has denied that he,, oyer received the $75,000, and referring to this denial, the New York World says: "Men familiar with tlie documentary evidence in the possession Of Hamilton can not understand tKe 'denial of Cor nelius N. Bliss that he ever received from Hamil ton a political contribution nmPunting to $75,000, The $75,000 was paid to Mr. Bliss by Mr. Hamil ton in the first McKinley-Bryan campaign, ac cording to Hamilton's friends. As this was ten years ago t may have slipped out of tho mind of Mr. Bliss, But Mr. Bliss has not qualified his denials by saying 'to the best of his .recollection,' but has declared flatfootedly that he never re ceived the money. A single contribution of $75,- - 000 is, so exceptional in size that politicians can not understand the failure of Mr. Bliss to remem ber it. This $75,000 brings the total of known -political contributions by the New York Life up to' $223,000. The dozen trustees of the company who agreed last Saturday personally to reim burse the campaign for its political contributions, will have -to dig much deeper into their pockets than they originally counted upon; and before Judge Hamilton is through with that subject the final total may be far; in excess of $223,000." LOU PAYN, FORMER insurance commissioner for the state of New York, and one of Sen ator Piatt's henchmen, declares that the $148,000 which has all .'ong been fixed as the amount contributed to the republican campaign fund by the New York Life does not represent any largo share of the contributions of tho company. Payn says that he does not believe that $148,000 would even cover the amount contributed for the bene fit of the republican party in New York state. He says: "I personally know of one corporation that subscribed $5p,000 to the republican and $75,000 to the democratic fund in a single year, and it was not an insurance company, either. They always have done this and they always will, not withstanding the present uproar." ,But they dld'nt contribute to both campaign funds in 1890 aritl in 1900, did they? EVIDENTLY THE OPPONENTS of rate logis' lation are commencing to try tho tactics of 1896. The Washington correspondent for the Sioux 'City Journal says: "The statements? made by a senator, who, for obvious reasons ww not permit the use of his name, that within the past few days the representatives of the cou- trolling interest in New York have informed' the president that he can take the alternative of a qpnBervative railroad, rate bill or a panic. It la ppinted out to . hini that conditions are ripe for, the precipitation ot a serious financial crisis and that this will be done if he insists on a radical rate bill." H II ll I I : . 'jv- v,.-..